Volunteers are needed to help with a paw-some art trail coming to Swindon this summer.

The Big Dog Art Trail will see 30 six-feet-tall Swindog sculptures and 42 mini Swinpups appear all over town from July 15 to September 3 at key destinations like the Designer Outlet, the County Ground, Lydiard Park, and the Steam Museum.

Sponsors and partners of the project are being encouraged to offer assistance which will ensure that the event goes smoothly.

The opening weekend on July 15 and 16 is expected to be particularly busy between 11am and 3pm on both days.

Volunteer marshals will be tasked with chatting to the public about the trail and Julia's House children's hospice, encouraging them to download the free app and visit the sculptures to receive rewards, help replenish maps at trail locations, and reporting any damage or concerns about the sculptures to the Big Dog team.

It is the chosen charity of the Pimms in the Park music festival at Lydiard Park on July 29 and 30, so volunteers will be attending to fundraise for Julia's House and promote the art trail.

Two volunteers each will be needed from 10.30am to 2pm and 2pm to 6pm on July 29, as well as from 11.30am to 3.30pm and 3.30pm to 8.30pm on July 30.

A farewell weekend will be held at the Steam Museum on September 16 and 17, where every one-of-a-kind Swindog sculpture will be brought together under one roof and auctioned off to their forever homes.

All money raised during the auction will go towards supporting Julia's House.

This will be the third key volunteering date of the trail, which is being organised by Julia's House and Wild in Art.

A spokesman for the Big Dog Art Trail said: "What a great opportunity to promote staff wellbeing, help boost team morale and simply show your staff how much your company wants to support the local Swindon community.

"Marshal volunteering opportunities will also be available on some other weekdays and weekends throughout the trail. 

"If you are keen to support on a specific date, please do get in touch to discuss with us."

For anyone that would like to volunteer their time to support the trail at any of the events above, email or call Jo on 07850 928135.  Volunteer slots will be filled on a first-come first-served basis.